Morality is not determined by the church you attend nor the faith you embrace. It is determined by the quality of your character and the positive impact you have on those you meet along your journey

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Bernie Sanders claims that he is not only fighting Hillary Clinton in the primaries, but the "entire Democratic establishment." Wait, isn't that the party that he wants to represent in the general election?

“Isn't the bottom line between you and Hillary Clinton and who would be the stronger candidate, that she is now fighting a war on two fronts, getting beaten up by Donald Trump on a daily basis?” Mitchell asked. She noted that despite the fact that Trump has now introduced a new “Crazy Bernie” nickname for the Vermont senator, “he has been embracing you, building you up, he likes the fact that you’re taking her down.”

“So she’s fighting Donald Trump, she’s fighting Bernie Sanders,” the host continued as Sanders interrupted her with a plea of “one second, one second, one second.” He cut her off just as she began to say that the war on two fronts is “depressing” Clinton’s overall support.

When Mitchell continued to argue that Clinton is being forced to take on two candidates when he only has to challenge one, Sanders let out a sharp laugh and replied, “Oh, really? Really? In every state that we have won, in 19 states, we have had to take on the entire Democratic establishment. We’ve had to take on senators and governors and mayors and members of Congress. That’s what we have taken on, so please do not moan to me about Hillary Clinton’s problems.”

Sanders then added this, " I'm in this race to win. We're taking on the Democratic establishment."

But isn't that kind of Andrea Mitchell's point?

If Bernie Sanders is not only fighting Hillary Clinton, the eventual nominee, but also the party that she represents by referring to them as "the Establishment" how does that make the Democrats, and their nominee, stronger in the general?

You know it really sounds as if Sanders is still stuck in the sixties and continues to spend his days railing against "The Man," just like the counter culture hippies did back when they were protesting Vietnam and arguing for equality for all.

Instead of recognizing the hard work the Democratic party has done on behalf of working men and women, minorities, and children in this country to gain that equality, he instead paints them with the same wide brush that he uses to paint the Republicans.

It seems fairly clear that rather than celebrating all the Democratic party has achieved since the 1960's Sanders simply wants to chastise them for not accomplishing more, while refusing to recognize that the Republicans have been fighting the Democrats every step of the way.

If Bernie Sanders is so unhappy with the Democratic party, then why in the hell does he pretend he wants to represent them in the general election against Donald Trump?

Yawn. He said the Establishment--I.e. The people sucking up to Wall Street--not the party as a whole. That's pretty evident and Gryphen, you're smart enough to know that.You bring up the hard work the Dems have done on social issues but ignored their apathy on wealth and Wall Street. You've no doubt seen the news today that the middle class is disappearing in 90% of American cities. Whether Hillary of her husband's golfing friend wins, neither will do much to change that.

Really? And who are THOSE people? How do you identify them? How do you separate them from the people who built the Democratic Party, and have been fighting for progressive causes with little help from "progressives"? How do you separate them from the people who worked hard to create a party platform that he now uses to his advantage? Hypocrite.

@6:30 am. Right on. 100% correct. I think this equating the "Democratic Establishment" with the rank&file is reminiscent of the GOP's distortion of President Obama's "You didn't build that!" quote. It's sad.

By Establishment he is referring to the super delegates: the party elite and Dem Congressmen and Governors. He's miffed that they all support Hillary, but Hillary is one of them and Bernie is not, why would any of these people, the root of the power of the party, support Bernie?

Oh Bernie, you needed to run as Independent, that's where your heart is and that's where the hearts of your supporters lie. This running as a Dem move was foolish on his part, and even more foolish was to expect the party machine to support him when he's not part of their club.

HRC does not represent the Democratic party of the 1960's. She would be ousted as to conservative for that party. It's to bad you drink her Kool-Aid and ignore the reason Sanders has done so well. It's your kind of elitist attitude (HRC's attitude also) that will anger Sanders voters by simply ignoring them. You seal you own defeat by alienating that part of the party, and by Sanders results, that's about half the party. And you wonder just how Trump can win? You just made the recipe for HRC's loss.

First off Anonymous 6:48 I do not have the power that you attribute to me.

Secondly you must not remember that many Democrats of the 1960's were vocal opponents of the civil rights movement, and in the South many were far more conservative than even their Republican counterparts in the North.

By definition the entire country is more liberal than it was back in the 1960's and virtually all of that is due to the hard work of the Democratic party, and especially their most recent President.

I am sorry if the Democratic party does not pass your purity test, but then I guess that is why the Green Party exists now isn't it?

6:48 Yes, Hilary Clinton certainly doesn't represent the Democratic party as it once was-- before the Clintons and "New Democrats" remade it into Republican lite in the 1980s and 90s. Thus the Clintons oversaw globalization at the expense of workers--pushing for NAFTA, WTO, the repeal of Glass Steagal, among other regulations that used to safeguard against excesses in banking and Wall St. that caused the 2008 financial meltdown.

I come from generations of Democrats, my grandfather was fired from his job for working to elect Franklin Roosevelt, I assure you the Democrats are now to the right of Eisenhower Republicans. The Dems serve big money and many people see it- which is why Sanders is doing so well. The Dems better wake up or they'll hand the country to Trump. Hilary is already moving to the "center" to court Republican voters. She had better take seriously voters who are backing Sanders.

And she will sell out the people to Wall St. and bankers when elected unless she's pressured by rank and file Democrats to serve the best interests of the people not corporations and banks.

I am so proud to vote for Sec. Clinton, whose politics matched Sen. Sanders 93% of the time when they served together in the Senate. She was progressive enough for Bernie to vote her in as Sec. of State, and even praise her on the job!

You are the one who brought up the 1960's G. I agree the comparison is ridiculous.And yes, Sanders wants more from the party and so do I. Bernie's Democratic socialism is based on FDR and he did pretty well for the American people. I agree with anon. 7:31 HRC is far more conservative and not progressing the party. If you are happy with that, fine, but don't call yourself a Democratic liberal in the traditional usage.

Sanders could have abstained. He could have voted to reject her. He's an "Independent" after all, isn't he? To hear Senator Sanders say it, Hillary Clinton is a corrupted warhawk. Why would Senator Sanders vote to confirm a corrupted warhawk as Secretary of State?

Sanders doesn't do anything because of politics, right? All of his decisions come from his good heart and righteous ideals, right?

Sanders has had the same opportunities Clinton has to get his message out there and sway voters to his side. It's not her fault she had more name recognition or longer histories with certain populations. Was she not supposed to take advantage of those? Should she have given Sanders a head start or a handicap?

The process is not rigged. There has been no cheating. Clinton has simply earned more votes than Sanders. Period.

Stop moaning, Andrea. You're such a nag. Bernie Sanders is going to tell you the real deal.

He's the victim here. A victim of the millions of voting Democrats who prefer Hillary Clinton over him.

The establishment is out to get him. First it was Planned Parenthood. Then it was all those closed primaries. Now it's the entire Party. It couldn't possibly be because his message didn't sway enough people.

@7:01"A victim of the millions of voting Democrats who prefer Hillary Clinton over him."Except for the ones purged in Brooklyn?

Board of Elections will boot official after her error purged over 100,000 Brooklyn voters from the rolls, wreaking havoc at polls.http://m.nydailynews.com/new-york/election-official-ousted-error-purged-brooklyn-voters-article-1.2610369

I'll say it again.The Clintons will SAY or do ANYTHING to further their selfish ways.

Unless you can prove that those voters that were purged in Brooklyn would have supported Sanders over Clinton, your point doesn't have a place in this particular discussion.

Meanwhile, I didn't get to caucus here in Colorado because I had a sick kid, too young to be left alone, at home. I had planned to caucus for Clinton. The caucus system disenfranchised me and I'm not the only one.

Caucuses disproportionately leave out families with young kids, people who have to work night shifts or multiple jobs, minority voters, people with disabilities, and seniors. There's good reason to suspect that a greater number of Clinton voters vs Sanders voters are being suppressed.

Why do we have to debate the same old false talking points every week. Clinton WON in Brooklyn and she LOST VOTES in the snafu there. Either way, she won NY big time and this would not change the final outcome.

When you don't know where to start, I guess it's best to try the beginning.

Ms Mitchell not moaning? HA!

Andrea's second sentence was to start MOANING about "she's (HRC) is now fighting a war on two fronts. She's getting beaten up by DT on a daily basis."...

Then, later, Andra moaning again:

"Sir, I'm just saying that HRC's ah, ah, the opposition to her, the negatives against her have been built up by DT just hammering away at her. And up until now at least, he has not been going after you as much. She's fighting two big candidates and you're fighting one."

So it's wrong for Bernie to point out what opposition he has against him???

"Hey Andrea...Andrea...Oh really? Oh Really? Ha! Andrea, in every state that we have won, in 19 states, we have had to take on the entire...Democratic...Establishment! We have had to take on senators and governors and mayors and members of congress. That's what we have taken on, so please do not moan to me about HRC's problems."

So come on G, don't act like you don't know Bernie was referring to the SuperDs and the fact they are already bought and paid for by HRC and the DNC. You're better than that.

It's just more of this idea that when people are informed and intelligent and not in the pocket of someone else they just HAVE to chose Bernie. Bernie's the BEST and only dumb, uninformed, wall street shills would vote for someone else.

And Sanders supporters accuse others of alienating them. Meanwhile they are calling us uninformed and corrupted.

They aren't necessarily "bought and paid for" by Hillary but they are part and parcel of the same machine so it makes perfect sense for them to line up behind Hillary. Sanders is an outsider to the Dem party, why would the Dem power players get in bed with him over Hillary? Makes no sense. Bernie didn't fully think through this "running as a Dem" strategy, or if he did he should realize that establishment Dems stick together, no big surprise there.

"Why else would supposed un-pledged delegates promise unwavering loyalty to HRC even before the primary started"

Because they like and support her. Because they believe in her as a presidential candidate and Sanders hasn't changed their minds. Because, even when Sanders entered the race, they still prefer Clinton because of her policies, disposition, intelligence, grasp of the issues, willingness and ability to work with others, etc..

Why do you just assume that everyone prefers Bernie and the only reason they don't support him is because they've been paid off?

Really? Then why does her voting record in the Senate match Sanders for 93% of the votes if she's so Republican? Does that mean Bernie is a Republican, too? http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/28/upshot/the-senate-votes-that-divided-hillary-clinton-and-bernie-sanders.html

http://samuel-warde.com/2016/05/donald-trump-can-win-hillary-clinton/ nuff said,, think us older independents dont see the coronation of clinton happening? guess again,, i would see bernie over all but trump over clinton any day.

This has been my problem with Bernie from the beginning. He is not a Democrat and he never will be. He likes being "independent" as it puts him apart from the rest of the politicians (although he is still one.)

Now, after becoming a Democrat (DINO) so he could use them, he is mathematically out of the running for the Democratic nom. So, what does he do? He rails against the "system" that he has used for the past year. In addition, he has languished in the Senate, appearing anywhere there is a camera or microphone, offering his rather simplistic solutions to complex problems, resting on his laurels as a one-time activist against the Viet Nam War.

Yeah, I was there as well, back in the day. I worked hard to get progressive Dems elected as I knew that was the only way to make real changes. And I continue to do so. That is why I am working to see that Hillary Clinton, the only true Democrat in this race, is elected POTUS.

I recall that the 2008 Democratic primary was also a hard fought battle. The difference, though, was that Hillary Clinton was a genuine Democrat and she handled defeat graciously and maturely. Then she went on to serve in President Obama's administration with great distinction. She has earned the support of the Democratic Party this year. Bernie Sanders has not. Maybe if he had become a Democrat twenty or thirty years ago . . . .Beaglemom

Hilary is not a true Democrat where I come from, both she and Bill are part of the coalition of "New Democrats" from the 1980s, formed to bring the party more to the "center": translation: more like the Republicans.

The Clintons oversaw the dismantlement of FDR's New Deal in the 1990s and signed on to Neoliberal economics, which have now caused serious damage to much of the world's economy. In short, The Clintons sold out labor and workers by promoting pro-corporate trade treaties like NAFTA and the WTO and repealing banking regulations that were put in place during the Depression as safeguards. As a result we had the crash of 2008 and ongoing economic woes as the wealth gap increases and corporate accountability to society is practically nil.

Hilary also supports the neocons (many of whom are Republicans) who with their hawkish foreign policy spread aggression and war without end, enriching the miltary-industrial complex while bringing untold misery to millions and collapsing states, like Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya-now trying for Syria and Ukraine- and spreading terrorism in the collapsed states (see ISIS). The neocons are empire builders not democrats in any sense of the, some of their mentors in fact did not believe in democracy at all (see Leo Strauss at the Univ. of Chicago).

The Democratic party is risking losing many votes by alienating Sanders voters and not taking seriously that the people voting for him are fed up with well-insulated and paid Democratic leadership selling out to big business and the Washington war machine at a great price to the people of this country and the world.

The middle class and poor are losing ground in this country while the wealth at the top increases at a staggering rate. Hilary is part of how all this happened--the New Democrats undid The New Deal and allowed the neoliberal economists and free market idealogy to run roughshod over unions, affordable, health care, affordable education, while privatizing prisons, schools, and other public assets to enrich private industry while shredding the reality of the "commons" or common good.

I support Bernie's platform however I don't support him running as a Democrat. He's NOT a Democrat, many of us, his supporters aren't Democrats and many of us couldn't even primary for him because we're not Democrats.

He needed to run as an Independent, period. Of course the super delegates and the party machine are going to ally behind Hillary, these are her people she has been one of them for a long time, a cog in the Democratic party's vast wheel of influence. Bernie hasn't and he needed to stay true to his roots. Running as a Dem has hurt him more than it has helped him simply because he is NOT a Democrat.

As an Independent I feel his choice to run as a Dem is disingenuous at best, and an example of his naivete at worst.

I think the adult in the room (President Obama) needs to take Bernie aside and read him the facts of life.

You can't burn down the house to save it

Per Crystal, I came of age in the late 60's and all the progress we made for civil rights, desegregation, women's rights and equality, stopping the Vietnam war, and bringing a progressive agenda to the USA should not be jeopardized..

Just look at these atrocious laws they passed in Mississippi, and N Carolina.

In Ole Miss, it's now LEGAL to fire someone if you have a "sincerely held religious belief" about them being LGBT, black, hispanic, or just don't like the way they are dressed!

If we can't elect Hillary, we could be doomed to DrumpF outlawing abortion, contraception, and even overturning the Civil Rights act of 1964!

Bernie needs to tone it down, and think about the fallout if he continues to be so radical

The fall out= Bernie loses the general. Trump loses the senate in 2018 and the white house in 202 (IF there is a white house by then...).Second option = Bernie wins the general but loses the senate in 2018, loses the white house in 2020, and a DEM is never elected again. THAT is what we are facing.

It’s already over, and now he’s just causing havoc. I’ve seen firsthand how much damage this kind of candidacy can do.

By DAVID WADE May 12, 2016

When first decided to run for president, Bernie Sanders had a goal in mind: to start a political revolution by getting big money out of politics.

If he wants to do it—if Sanders wants to build a lasting movement to fight money’s outsize influence—he has to close one door to open another. The transition from contender to gracious supporter of the nominee isn’t easy for any presidential candidate, but he needs to make it, and soon.

We already know Sanders isn’t going to win the Democratic Party’s nomination; Hillary Clinton has amassed more than 92 percent of the delegates needed to secure the nomination, and she’ll easily pick up the rest. So right now, Sanders’ campaign is the walking dead: a zombie.

... Today, with Donald Trump all but guaranteed to be the Republican nominee, the general election electorate is beginning to tune in. At a time when voters could be comparing Trump and Secretary Clinton, the presumptive nominees, they’re instead seeing Clinton take shrapnel not just from the Republicans, but from Sanders.

Sanders has a stake in this. I hope he sees it. Sanders needs to think long and hard about the big cost of criticizing the now-prohibitive Democratic front-runner. He didn’t set out to become Trump’s best ghostwriter for the general election, but that is the role continued attacks on Clinton risk earning him.

Make no mistake: Clinton is a crisper candidate than she was a year ago, a credit to her sparring partner from Vermont. She has upped her game. But at this point, it would be better for the Democratic Party if Clinton could focus on the asymmetric political warfare to come from Trump—which she could do right now if she didn’t have to maintain a second front battling a pesky primary opponent who cannot win....

Really? What do you think a political party is? They are no more committed to cronyism that ANY party. You come up through the ranks and eventually you are rewarded. It's true in most clubs, groups, political parties, business, etc. If Bernie wanted in, he should have at least joined in the 1980's.

Watching the View. I sometimes call the witches. Not a woman hater as I am a woman. It's just that the women start screaming. Anyways, they are talking about Hillary flip flopping. One of them said all politicians evolve. I think it is true. We all evolve in our views. Not too long ago, I thought that transgender people were just weird. Now, after all the media attention, I am more acclimated to them. I see them. We are all narrow minded to some degree. As time passes and we find that the gays aren't out to rape us, and the nature effed up with the Y's and X's then we calm down. Que Sera. Yes, we do all evolve. We should start a new party of the evolving. You know we change in idea. That's probably why the Republican party is crumbling is that their ideas were not subject to evolving. They want to be stuck in that time machine when white men ruled. Women, Mexicans, Gays, are nightmares to this dream of theirs. It's okay guys. Wake up. The dream of America is evolving. Take an aspirin.

They have been on the air for years, even though there are some out there that love pushing 'the show is being cancelled', but it's never come to fruition!

I especially enjoy the humor of Whoopi and Joy! The panelists on the show represent views on both the left and right of government. I find their discussions thoughtful and enjoyable. Plus having 'humor' the very best part!

It is easier to change the Democratic Party's direction, I want them to go back to being a party that supports the general population rather than rich businessmen. Sen. Sander has attended the caucuses the Dems hold for years so naturally he should run in the Democratic Party. The republicans will be the party of Business interests till the end of the world, I would rather the democrats become a party of the average guy rather than a mimic of the republicans and Senator Sanders is the candidate that fits that role much more than Sec. Clinton ever will.

Possibly but he will never win the general, The opposition research the GOP has on him will bury him alive. The FACT that his dreams will raise out deficit by $18 TRILLION dollars is more than enough to sink his chip before it ever leaves the harbor. Couple that with the hefty tax raises on ALL people, not just the wealthy, and he is DOA.

All it would take is one week of national ads showing Bernie at the Communist meeting he attended in Cuba back in the day, and his honeymoon in Russia, and saying "socialist Sanders". That's it. Bernie would be done.

Why is Bernie Sanders squandering a priceless opportunity to focus on his MESSAGE and the content of his beliefs? Instead, he's engaged in constant and not-so-friendly fire against other candidates and the Democrats.

Last week I wondered if Sanders were just naive and perhaps stupid. This week, I'm beginning to think he's malevolent and beginning to suspect he does not have the best interests of the country at his heart.

He isn't a Democrat (which he is on record as saying himself!), but made a decision to join us! And, now he's doing nothing more than dividing the party and making himself look like an old fool!

He has reached the end of his shelf life (as a politician) as far as I'm concerned and would suggest he be a man, stop his incessant ranting and raving (and waving his arms) and stop listening to his wife!

"MOAN" & SEX1.a long, low sound made by a person expressing physical or mental suffering or sexual pleasure.She gave a low moan of despair OR sexual ecstasy.synonyms: groan, wail, whimper, sob, cry2. a complaint that is perceived as trivial and not taken seriously by others.

"In October 2015, DNC chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., reportedly huddled with dozens of lobbyists to plan the convention in Philadelphia, and provided the influence peddlers involved with a menu of offerings in exchange for donations. In February, news reports revealed that the DNC had quietly lifted the Obama-era ban on federal lobbyist donations to the party and convention committee..The Host Committee’s finance chair is Daniel Hilferty. In his day job, Hilferty is CEO of Independence Blue Cross, a health insurance giant that covers nine million people. In December, Hilferty became board chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of America, a trade group that lobbies for the insurance industry, and he serves on the board of directors of America’s Health Insurance Plan’s (AHIP), the insurance industry lobbying group that spearheaded the campaign against the Affordable Care Act. Lobby registration documents show the BCBS Association is actively supporting a number of Republican bills to roll back provisions of the ACA.In an interview conducted late last year, Hilferty said he plans to make “sure to work closely at the congressional level, with the administration, with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to have input” into how the ACA is implemented under the next administration."http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/dem-primaries/279603-dnc-head-denies-sanderss-claim-of-convention-favoritism

And what's up with DWS and her hair?It looks like she combs it with a pork chop...

@2:55I very rarely comment on anything that has to do with the Palins.Although any pedestrian walk by glance at this blog can see it's the fuel(clicks/posts)that drives this blog.In the big scheme of things that needs to be discussed in this country,they don't make a pimple on a flea's ass.

?Has Bernie explained what a "socialist democrat" means? And why did he run under the Democratic ticket rather than independent? I'm for Hillary because I think she's got the experience and the resume' that makes a good President. If she continues the trajectory President Obama started, all the better. All I get is Bernie's attracting people to the party, we're going to have a revolution, stick flowers down gun barrels, join hands and sing Peter Paul and Mary songs. I tried to feel the Bern early on, but it made me want to vote Hillary even more. But I'm not wasting my vote, if he's the nominee, I'll pinch my nose and vote for him.

About Me

This blog is dedicated to finding the truth, exposing the lies, and holding our politicians and leaders accountable when they fall far short of the promises that they have made to both my fellow Alaskans and the American people.